Watermelon Jell-O Cupcakes– These fun and fruity cupcakes play off of the look of a slice of watermelon and are infused with watermelon flavor throughout the cake and frosting. The mini chocolate chips on top may look a little like seeds, but you won’t need to spit them out! An adorable summer dessert!

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At our house, we eat more watermelon in the summer than any other fruit. And from a dessert perspective, my kids seem to love cupcakes over anything else. So, why not combine the two?!

These Watermelon Jell-O Cupcakes are easy to make, and they are sure to please the family and party guests! The cupcakes are made with a moist vanilla cake base and, like a poke cake, Jell-O infuses the cake with flavor.

If your family loves watermelon as much as mine does, they’re going to go bananas over these adorable and delicious watermelon cupcakes.

HOW TO MAKE WATERMELON JELL-O CUPCAKES

For this fun, summertime treat, you’ll need the following ingredients:

White cake mix
Water
Watermelon Jell-O mix
Butter-softened
Powdered sugar
Watermelon Kool-aid powder
Milk
Mini chocolate chips

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, follow the steps below for a delicious and unique summertime treat!

MAKING THE CUPCAKES

Follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box to make cupcakes.
Then, allow the cupcakes to cool.
Poke holes in them with the end of a wooden spoon.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and stir in the Jell-o powder until dissolved. Pour the Jell-O mixture all over the cupcakes and into the holes.

PREPARING THE FROSTING

Beat the butter and powdered sugar together.
Add the watermelon drink mix and milk.
Beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add more milk.
Transfer the frosting to a large ziplock bag. Snip a corner off, and pipe the frosting on each cupcake. Add mini chocolate chips on top.

WHAT ARE POKE CAKES?

Poke cakes are cakes poked with holes and filled with a syrup or liquid to flavor and add colorful striations throughout the cake.

This recipe uses the same method, only with cupcakes!

CAN YOU MAKE THESE CUPCAKES WITHOUT A MIXER?

Yes, you can! Just whisk the ingredients together by hand until everything is well combined. Then proceed with the recipe as usual.

WHAT ELSE COULD YOU USE TO POKE HOLES IN THE CUPCAKES?

If you don’t have a wooden spoon or you feel the handle is too large, use a fork or a toothpick and poke smaller holes throughout the cupcakes.

CAN YOU MAKE POKE CUPCAKES AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, of course. These cupcakes are perfect for making ahead of time. Simply bake the cupcakes, let them cool, then prepare the Jell-O mixture. Store them in the refrigerator until ready to decorate.

Once decorated, any leftover cupcakes can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

MORE SUMMER TREATS TO TRY